Monday, August 6, 2012

Blight Drone sculpt progress

Welcome back everyone. Here we are again with another blight drone sculpt update.

When I began this project a week ago, I wanted to ensure I was able to create duplicates of the model after it was completed. Unfortunately, to do so I would be required to think outside the box when it came to preventing undercuts which would compromise the recasting process.

As such, I needed to create the gun and engine sections separately. The problem this creates, however, is it becomes difficult to make sure the pieces match up after the resin casting. After making the gun section and duplicating it in resin, I used plastic around the gun and placed it on the model. To ensure it matched up, I added sculpt around the front area to match with the gun.

The engine is another story, and will lead to a copy of a copy. Right now the epoxy on the rings are curing, but in a day or two the engine will be ready for a recast and I will be able to check for alignment of both sides.

Still, there is a lot to add to the main body. I want to begin trimming away at the armor plating to create the edges a metal plating should have. I'd also like to add some barrel bits which appear wedged into the body area and wire openings for fitting later on.

I admit it is difficult not to rush ahead on the project. I am used to my scratch builds taking a lot less time than this is, but I know in the end I will be rewarded for being patient. Having the potential to create whole squads of drones is a benefit I just can't pass up.

Edit: A friend pointed out to me that it appears the engines are too small to believably lift the drone. As such, I've decided to add my own twist to the model by adding a second set to the rear armor plate. Four engines!

If you are going to add 2 more engines, I would move the first pair forward on the body, otherwise a huge amount of thrust would be generated on the back half of the model, while all the weight is on the front half. IMHO that would look weird and outta place.

Y'know, I thought about that, and in the end I figured it's ok if the model looks a bit unwieldy, being a crazy flying Nurgle blob of metal and flesh and all. The plan is for the front set of engines to look like the main lift engines while the rear ones are used for turning and assisting with thrust.